Pushed Into Waves For A Photo

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During our beach getaway, my husband pushed me into the crashing waves just so his little mistress could win a photography competition.

With the raging tide beneath me, I grabbed his pant leg and begged him through my tears to pull me up.

He didn't hesitate. He kicked my hand away with a cold look in his eyes.

I watched the silhouette of his speedboat racing away into the distance, and my heart turned to ash.

I thought the ocean would be my grave, but a local fisherman pulled me from the water.

The near-death experience shattered the mental block I had lived with for five years, and my true memories flooded back.

The first thing I did when I woke up was delete every trace of the woman I had been.

"Ma'am, are you absolutely sure you want to expunge the identity of Sienna? Once this is done, Sienna will no longer exist in this world."

I gave a firm nod. "Yes. Wipe it all."

In reality, my name is Meredith Montgomery.

Five years ago, a hiking accident left me with total amnesia, and I ended up lost in the city of Savannah.

Quinn was the one who saved me, and eventually, I became his wife.

In the beginning, we were genuinely happy, known as the golden couple of our social circle.

But everything changed two years ago when his first love, Marilyn, came back into the picture.

I mindlessly scrolled through the live stream of the photography awards on my phone.

Without me there to compete, Marilyn took the grand prize with ease.

In the interview video, Quinn stood beside her with a proud smile, his eyes filled with adoration.

"Marilyn's talent is undeniable. This victory is well-deserved, and as her biggest supporter, I couldn't be more proud," he told the cameras.

"Oh? I thought you would be cheering for your wife," the host probed curiously.

Quinn chuckled. "My wife and I have a deep bond, but when it comes to raw talent in photography, Marilyn is simply in a league of her own."

A mocking sneer touched my lips as I listened to his lies.

I dialed a number I hadn't called in half a decade.

"Marcus, come to Savannah in seven days to pick me up."

The next day, I walked into the house we shared.

Quinn was lounging on the sofa, laughing loudly while video-calling a friend.

When he saw me enter, his laughter died, and a flash of shock crossed his face before he hung up and stood up.

"What happened to your eyes? Why are they bandaged?" he asked, his voice tight.

"I hit some rocks after I fell into the ocean," I replied flatly.

Guilt flickered across his face for a split second.

"Sorry about that. I was just messing around with you. I'm glad you're okay," he said dismissively.

My heart felt like lead. "Right. I figured."

He actually thought a casual apology could erase the fact that he nearly murdered me.

He moved on immediately, as if my life was an afterthought.

"You're back just in time. Go change into something nice; we're heading to Marilyn's victory party."

"This win means everything to her. Since you've won a few titles in the past, you should give her some pointers on her technique."

He didn't mention a word about making me miss the competition.

I played along, pretending nothing was wrong.

There was no point in a screaming match when I was already halfway out the door.

But as I stepped into his car, the suffocating scent of a woman's perfume hit me.

I shifted in my seat, trying to get comfortable, when I felt something soft and silky.

I pulled it out and realized it was a pair of lace panties. I froze.

Quinn's face turned pale instantly.

"Babe, it's it's not what you think. I gave Marilyn a ride a few days ago, and this must have fallen out of her suitcase. I didn't even see it."

The dried white stains on the fabric told a much filthier story.

I felt a wave of nausea hit me.

I threw the lace at his face, leaned out the window, and vomited.

The venue was blindingly bright, filled with the sounds of fake laughter and clinking glasses.

Marilyn was at the center of it all, wearing a designer gown and surrounded by admirers.

When she saw Quinn, she practically glided over.

"Quinn! You made it! I couldn't have won this without your help"

She stopped, pretending to be shocked when she saw me standing behind him.

"Oh, Sienna! You're actually here. I thought you'd be too embarrassed to show your face after what happened."

"The internet says you skipped the finals because you were afraid of losing to me. I felt so bad! You aren't mad at me, are you?"

Her voice was sweet, but her eyes were dripping with malice.

Quinn cleared his throat, clearly trying to get me away from her.

"I left my phone in the car. Go grab it for me, will you?"

I didn't want to stay and watch their pathetic performance anyway.

I turned and walked out of the ballroom.

Halfway to the door, I realized I forgot to ask for the keys, so I turned back.

That was when I saw something that made my skin crawl.

Near a cluster of large indoor plants in a secluded corner, the two of them were hidden from the crowd.

Through the leaves, I saw Quinn and Marilyn locked in a heated, desperate kiss.

Quinn's hands were wandering beneath her dress, and Marilyn was moaning softly, her face a mask of pure lust.

My stomach did a somersault. I couldn't believe they were this bold.

Could they really not wait until the party was over?

I took a deep breath, turned around, and walked away.

After a long moment of silence, I wiped the stray tears from my face and regained my composure.

I walked back into the hall.

Quinn's brow furrowed in annoyance when he saw me.

"I was wrong, the phone was in my pocket. What took you so damn long?"

Looking at this man, I felt nothing but disgust and pity for my past self.

Suddenly, a voice from the crowd shouted out.

"Sienna, everyone brought a gift for Marilyn. Did you come empty-handed? Are you really that bitter about her win?"

In an instant, every eye in the room was on me.

For five years, Quinn had controlled all the finances; I didn't have a cent to my name.

Besides, he had dragged me here. I never intended to give that bitch a gift.

Quinn leaned in, whispering harshly in my ear.

"Just give her a cash gift. I'll cover it later. Don't embarrass me."

I looked at Marilyn and spoke calmly.

"This emerald pendant is a family heirloom from the Sterling family. It's worth a fortune."

"But since Quinn thinks so highly of you, I'm sure he won't mind if I give it to you."

I reached up, unclasped the necklace from my neck, and held it out.

The room went dead silent.

The looks I received from the guests were a mix of confusion and shock.

I tossed the jewelry into Marilyn's hands and walked out without looking back.

I was almost at the car when a hand gripped my wrist like a vice.

Quinn was standing there, his face dark with rage.

"What the hell was that? You gave her the heirloom my mother gave to you as her daughter-in-law?"

I met his gaze with total indifference. "So what? It's just a piece of rock."

Quinn flinched, staring at me as if I were a stranger.

"Sienna, what is wrong with you? Are you trying to leave me?"

I shrugged. "If the love is gone, I'm gone. It's that simple."

Quinn suddenly barked out a laugh.

"Everything you have, I gave to you. Without me, you're a nobody with nowhere to go."

"Understand this, Sienna: you don't leave this marriage unless I say so."

But I wasn't Sienna anymore. I was Victoria Montgomery.

This pathetic little marriage couldn't hold me for another second.

Quinn stepped closer, his voice dropping to a warning growl.

"Just play nice, and I'll give you whatever you want. Don't test my patience, babe."

I smiled inwardly. We'll see about that.

With only three days left before my departure, I started erasing my presence from that house.

I packed up the clothes that were still wearable and dropped them off at a local women's shelter.

Everything else went straight into the trash.

I deleted all my social media accounts and spent the afternoon at the government offices getting my paperwork in order.

Quinn had no idea any of this was happening.

He was currently in the Bahamas with Marilyn, celebrating her big win.

The Bahamas was their little private paradise; they flew there every chance they got.

Two days left.

Marilyn sent me a photo of a young boy building a sandcastle on the beach.

The caption read: The little guy wanted to build a castle today, so Daddy took him to the shore

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning.

The boy in the photo looked hauntingly familiar.

I had seen his face on Quinn's phone wallpaper before.

Back then, I thought Quinn just liked kids.

But now I knew the truth. This boy was their son.

No wonder he never wanted kids with me. No wonder he claimed he didn't want me to suffer through pregnancy.

He already had his perfect little family waiting in the wings.

I was the only one playing the role of the fool.

On my final day, Marilyn didn't send photos. She sent an audio clip.

It was the sound of her and Quinn in bed together.

I listened to the whole thing with a blank expression, then left a single letter on the nightstand.

I walked out of that house for the last time.

At the airport, my family's security detail was already waiting for me.

They stood in perfect formation, tall and imposing, guarding the private terminal.

Just as I was about to board, Quinn called.

"Babe, I'm back from my business trip. I'm coming to pick you up for that art gallery opening."

He was back, alright. I could see him across the terminal, Marilyn and their son clinging to his sides.

My voice was steady. "The gallery closes in thirty minutes. Can you make it?"

He was laughing while adjusting the boy's shirt, about to answer, when Marilyn leaned in and kissed him.

"Honey, you promised to take us to the zoo first, and then we have to get little Leo back to the island. There's no time."

The little boy tugged on his hand. "Daddy, I want to see the elephants!"

Finally, a text popped up from Quinn: Babe, something came up. Let's push the gallery visit back a few days.

I let out a soft, relieved laugh and turned off the phone.

I walked toward the gate, literally brushing past him in the crowd.

Quinn suddenly stopped and looked back at my retreating figure.

"That woman she looked a bit like Sienna."

Marilyn laughed and patted his arm. "Don't be silly. A woman surrounded by that many bodyguards? That could never be Sienna."

Quinn chuckled. "You're right. My eyes must be playing tricks on me."

"Let's go, Leo! To the zoo!"

The plane roared down the runway and pierced through the clouds.

I closed my eyes and let the silence wash over me.

Quinn, we are officially strangers now.